The Ridley Gallery at Sierra College currently has three sections of the AIDS Quilt on display, including the section for Freddie Mercury. The monolithic display is powerful, and hits you in the gut as your consider the amount of lives lost to AIDS. Shows like this are important, not only the the message and call to action behind them but to serve as a reminder that not all art is aesthetically driven. Art is, more often than not, politically driven and rooted in love and/or grief. I have had people suggest that art should be aesthetics first and then the message, if any, and I can't help but disagree. Nor do I think we can separate the art from the political, as some folks suggest we do when we can out that a favorite writer or what have you is actually a terrible bigot, or whatever the case. Art is political. Whatever they create is done through the lens of their beliefs, and it cannot be removed.

Some personal updates:

I have a fun piece in the Reverse Mermaid (merson?) Show at Blue Lamp in Sacramento. It should be up for the nest month, because it is wonderful and grotesque, and there are some fabulous local artists participating.

Reverse nautilus!

Happy halloween a few days ago! The fiancé and I had a smashing time at a dear friends wedding as Princess Bubblegum and Finn the Human.

He made the crown for me!

I had the pleasure of seeing Welcome to Night Vale perform live on Monday with musical guest Eliza Rickman, and it was beautiful and amazing. If you are not listening to that podcast, start doing so immediately, and then hit them up when they are in your area. You will not be disappointed. You begin your Night Vale Adventure here.

And last but not least I have a fun new commission that I'm working on that I am super excited about and cannot wait to start laying paint down. Just about finished with the pencils.

I tot I taw a puddy cat....canaries and cat skulls.

Also, I think I may go for it and make a coloring book. Thoughts?

What did you do for Halloween? Do you think that art stands alone from the artist? What is your favorite Night Vale episode? Tell me these things, because I want to know.

Society6 is having one of their rad promotions right now, with free worldwide shipping and $5 off everything in my store! Click through the link to check it out, and maybe get some early holiday shopping done. I'll be adding some new stuff up this week, so stay tuned!